Otmoor with Bourne End U3A

 This was a morning trip to Otmoor with a few members from Bourne End U3A. 

We recorded 48 species of birds of which 4 were only heard calling.  The top bird in terms of rarity and difficulty in finding was a Grasshopper Warbler which appeared fairly close to us near the entrance track.  We saw up to seven Cattle Egrets with five in one group feeding very close to some cattle and another two in the distance near some other cattle.  

Other good finds were a Greenshank, Hobby, Water Rail, Curlew and Garganey which was in eclipse plumage and asleep most of the time, making identification a little tricky.  

Curlew - Asleep in front of the first screen

Little Egrets - Also in front of the first screen.

Little Egrets - Three different birds on the Greenaway.

Greenshank and Little Egrets

Garganey - asleep most of the time.

Unfortunately no photos of the Cattle Egrets which were very distant most of the time.